The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-06-04
TOM, JOE AND JAKE.
A Yarn of Practical Jokes In the Wild
West.
TSalt Lake Tribune.]

(Salt Lake Tribune.]
Tom Collette, with two friends whom l
shall christen as Joe Jake, was making
slow and painful journey from ZINE Grove.
Esmeralda County, to Eastern Nevada.
They camped one afternoon near some not
springs. not far from Walker Lake. Dis
covering a large hole or pool that was full of
cold water and convenient to one of the hot
test of the hot springs, they turned the hot
water as 1t flowed out Of the spring into the
pool, until the hot and cold water blending
made exactly the right temperature for a BATH
This done, they plunged in and enjoyed the
delicious water as only those can who have
travelled some days over dusty alkali trails in
hot weather. When supper was over and
they had lighted their pipes, the theme of
conversation for long time as they smoked.
was the delicious bath they had taken and
the wonderful sense of refreshment it had
brought them. Full of the joy of it, they
spread,their blankets on a grassy spot be-
meath some willows a few yards distant from
the spring. and fell asleep.
Tom was up with the dawn. Recollections
of the fine bath of the previous evening were
still fresh in his mind. so, bounding up
from his blankets with a skip and jump he
plunged into the pool to his middle. With
groan Of agony be sprang out again with the
been running all night. Hours before dawn
the cold water pool had been rendered almost
as hot as that of the hot spring itself. Brief
as had been the period between his entry and
his exit, Toms fair skin was changed to the
color of boiled lobster. He was soon in a
terrible state, as the skin was almost sufic-
iently cooked to peel off, As he asserts, he
WAS as tender as yOuDs gHlet that had
he drew on his pantaloons and boots, though
he felt as though the cooked flesh were peel
ing off in strips wherever his clothing touch
ed him. Forcing back the tears of anguish
that were yelling out of his eyes, Tom crept
back to camp. Though 1t was a most difficult
| thing to do, he put on his old-time frank
smile as he neared the sleeping place at the
| willows, for Jake had awakened and was sit
| ting on his blankets, gaping and stretching.
| Seeing Tom approach, Jake asked where
he had been-lf he had been out looking after
| joyed his bath of the evening before, and had
been so much benefited by it, that he could
not think of breaking up camp without re-
peating it:
did not wait to hear more. Bouncing up
from his blankets he rushed away toward
the pool. AS quickly as he could move, con-
sidering the tender condition of his skin
Tom followed, and lodging behind a con.
Jake threw off the few buds in which he had
slept, bounced into the pool, uttered a cry Of
| mingled anguish and rage, then clawed his
way out upon the green turf with the celebrity
of an adder. AS soon as he stood erect hi
began making swift applications of his open
hands to various parts of his body to arres
the pain. each particular square inch of hi:
hide seeming to hurt worse than the other
All this time he was swearing blue streak
Louder and louder rose his voice, as light be
gan to break upon his mind, when Ton
stepped out from his biding-place crying
Hush upi Would you bawl like a bull
calf and give us away, when that other sol
of a gun ur IN camp Is not yet cooked? You
and J. have had our dose. Man, we mus
cook him or we shall never hear the last of /
Soothed by this, Jake carefully drew on hi
trowsers and shirt and the pair leisurel.
proceeded to camp.
up IpssS seeing e Tom aad "found the stockSth,
"Ponies, no." said Tom, 1--WE haven't beer
looking for the ponies. We have been taking
bath. Do you think" said he, as he stood
holding his pantaloons away from the real
of his person, do you think we'd breal
camp without one more magnificent swim
Not much"
At this Joe sprang up crying: "Not mucl
you bet! and dashed away toward the LITTLE
pond. AS Joe disappeared behind the will
lows Tom sprang for his pistol and took of
their own revolvers, Tom crying: get you
pistol, Jake-quickl There'll be bushes
when Joe comes back" In about TWO min
utes Joe did come back. He, bowling ant
cursing furiously, and, all naked as he was
never stopped running until he had got hi
six shooter In his hand.
drop it!' said Tom, 81 have dead bead
on you, and so has Jake. Besides, / took al
the caps off your gun.
The difficulty was amicably settled a
soon as Jake and Tom had related their ex
perience. The trio took their breakfas
standing that morning, and-to spare tn,
ponies-they did not ride much for the sue
ceeding three days.